Arts and crafts vendors and demonstrators are being sought to participate in 9th annual Franklin Folk Festival, a celebration of Appalachian Heritage in historic downtown Franklin. The Franklin Folk Festival will be held Saturday, July 21, from 9 p.m. to 4 p.m. New this year, Main Street will be closed to traffic and filled with Appalachian artisans who will be selling their authentic heritage items. The cost to participate in this juried event will be $50 for a 10 x 10 space.

The Franklin Folk Festival features more than 100 living exhibits and demonstrations to allow visitors to experience what mountain life was like way back when. Things like woodcarving, moonshinin’, basket making, weaving and spinning, and all the many other things. A full schedule of mountain music is planned and plenty of “heritage” food will be available.

The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will host Ben Steere for a discussion of Cherokee pre-history and archaeology on Tuesday, May 8, at 7 p.m. in the Community Room.

Steere’s presentation will focus on the archaeology of Western North Carolina, and specifically how Jackson County fits in to the story in Western North Carolina over the past 1500 years. “Our new research shows us that there were many more prehistoric mound sites in Western North Carolina than previously thought,” says Steere, “and sites in Jackson County were especially important central places for these communities.”

This upcoming Mother’s Day Weekend the artistry of quilting will be showcased with the second annual Airing of the Quilts in Franklin will be held on Saturday, May 12, and all throughout Historic Downtown Franklin and throughout Macon County.

While the downtown area will be the focus of the event, everyone is invited to join in to create a countywide display of quilts.

Organizers of Airing of the Quilts will have a handout that can be picked up in Downtown Franklin that will list locations of where quilts will be airing. Anyone that would like the public to see their quilts airing can have their location added to the list by calling Linda Schlott at (828)524-2516.

Deadline to submit your name and location for the list is Monday, May 7.

Jackson County Green Energy Park's Director Timm Muth announced the opening of the new art gallery with an “Art + Energy” group show featuring examples of blown glass, forge-hammered metals, and wood-fired kiln ceramics by local artists.

The new GEP gallery has its grand opening Thursday, April 26, with a public reception from 5 until 7 p.m.